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Dr. Allona Vazan, Senior Lecturer

Dr. Allona Vazan
Contact Info

The Open University of Israel Department of Natural Sciences 1 University Road P.O.B. 808 Ra’anana 43107, Israel
Office:972-9-7781247 Academic Building, room 230 Email:vazan@openu.ac.il

Areas of Interest
  • Planet interior structure and evolution
  • Characterization of exoplanets and solar system planets
  • Planet formation

I am a senior lecturer in physics in the Astrophysics Research Center (ARCO), Department of Natural Sciences. My research focuses on theoretical and computational models of planetary interiors and their evolution in time, from an astrophysical perspective. The aim of my work is to better understand planetary worlds - from super-Earth planets to gas giant planets - by characterizing their properties and their history. My research brings together planet formation theories, observation of exoplanet populations, and knowledge from our solar system. 

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2010 - 2015
PhD in Planetary Science, Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University
Thesis:  Evolution of giant planets. 
2008 - 2010
MSc in Planetary Sciences, Summa Cum Laude, Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University
Thesis: The effect of opacity on the evolution of giant planets  
2002 - 2005
BA in Physics, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology

2020 - Senior Lecturer, Physics group, Department of Natural Sciences, The Open University of Israel

2018 - 2020     Postdoctoral researcher, Astrophysics and Planetary Science group, Racah Institute of Physics,
                          The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel

2018 - 2020     Postdoctoral researcher, Center for Theoretical Astrophysics and Cosmology,
                          Institute for Computational Science, University of Zurich, Switzerland

2015 - 2018    Postdoctoral fellow, Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy, University of Amsterdam,         

                         The Netherlands

2021-2025
Israel Science Foundation research grant
2021
Israel Science Foundation computational equipment grant
2018
Origin of Life Center the Netherlands, research grant (PI)
2015 - 2018
Amsterdam Academic Alliance (AAA) postdoctoral fellowship
2012 - 2015
Ilan Ramon PhD fellowship, Israeli Ministry of Space and Science
2012
Faculty of Exact Sciences award for excellence
2011
Department of Geophysics and Planetary Science award for excellence
2010
Department of Geophysics and Planetary Science award for excellence

A.Vazan publications at ADS

 

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Vazan A., Sari R., Kessel R. (2022) “A new perspective on interiors of ice-rich planets: Ice-rock mixture rather than ice on top of rock" - The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 926, Issue 2, id.150, 12 pp

Ormel C., Vazan A., Brouwers M. (2021) “How planets grow by pebble accretion. III. Emergence of an interior composition gradient” - Astronomy & Astrophysics, Volume 647, id.A175, 19 

Vazan A. & Helled R. (2020). “Explaining the low luminosity of Uranus: A self-consistent thermal and structural evolution” - Astronomy & Astrophysics, Volume 633, id.A50, 10 pp.

 Vazan A. & Sari R. (2020). ”On the aspect ratio of ’Oumuamua :regular shape and irregular surface” - Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Volume 493, Issue 2, p.1546-1552.

 Humphries J., Vazan A., Bonavita M., Helled R., Nayakshin S. (2019). “Constraining the initial planetary population in the gravitational instability model” - Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Volume 488, Issue 4, p.4873-4889.

 Vazan A., Ormel C. W., Noack L., Dominik C. (2018). “Contribution of the core to the thermal evolution of sub-Neptunes” - The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 869, Issue 2, article id. 163, 11 pp.

▪ Vazan A., Helled R., Guillot T. (2018). “Jupiter's evolution with primordial composition gradients” - Astronomy & Astrophysics Letters, Volume 610, L14.

 Vazan A., Ormel C. W., Dominik C. (2018). “Effect of core cooling on the radius of sub-Neptune planets” - Astronomy & Astrophysics Letters, Volume 610, id.L1, 4 pp.

 Brouwers M. G., Vazan A., Ormel C. W. (2018). “How cores grow by Pebble Accretion” - Astronomy & Astrophysics, Volume 611, id.A65, 12 pp.

 Vazan A., Helled R., Podolak M., Kovetz A. (2016). "The evolution and internal structure of Jupiter and Saturn with compositional gradients” - The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 829, Issue 2, article id. 118, 11 pp.

 Vazan A., Helled R., Kovetz A., Podolak M. (2015). "Convection and mixing in giant planet evolution” - The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 803, Issue 1, article id. 32, 11 pp.

 Vazan A., Kovetz A., Podolak M., Helled R. (2013). "The effect of composition on the evolution of giant and intermediate-Mass Planets" - Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Volume 434, Issue 4, p.3283-3292.

 Vazan A. & Helled R. (2012). "On the evolution and survival of protoplanets embedded in a protoplanetary disk” - The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 756, Issue 1, article id. 90, 11 pp.